NYS Music 20​17

Tag: Features

  • Hearing Aide: The Nice Ones “The Nice Ones”

    “If there’s one thing that can be said about the album, it is that it is brimming with emotion,” said guitarist Sam McGarrity. Boy, he wasn’t kidding. This emotional direction is a new concept for this group, but that doesn’t mean they still haven’t lost sight of their style. I only say this because as good as their first track sounds, it is very misleading in terms of the direction of the album. As for the rest of their work, it’s well orchestrated, produced perfectly and gives each member a chance to shine.  One of their most notable traits is their ability to build upon ideas while keeping things linear. With rock based bands, things can get a little repetitive. But The Nice Ones never get comfortable and can keep things interesting throughout the entirety of a track.

    “Siren Song” is a surprising first start for the group. They’ve released two albums prior to this one and none of them are styled in the way “Siren Song” is, but loyal fans can rest assured that they haven’t lost their roots. With delicate instrumentation and Patrick Surdam’s fragile voice, the song acts as prelude which attests to McGarrity’s claim of the collection being full of sentimentality.  

    “Know Better”  jumps right into their rock and roll style with the only similarity being Surdam’s voice. It’s a straightforward and completely contradictory song to the the prior track. It has a great instrumental hook in the chorus and, again, the group has done a stupendous job of building an arc worth waiting for. There’s plenty of highs and lows to keep thing interesting in an otherwise very rudimentary song.

    “Good Kids” is dance worthy, glowing with positive energy and is a track that would be a tremendous hit in a live setting. The guitar hook is an ear worm, in a good way.  And once again, they create an arc in their song that builds in a direction that a new listener would never expect. This is undoubtedly one of their key tracks.

    Don’t be fooled,  “Surfer Girl” is not what it seems. The tone switches back and forth several times and ends in a way that’s completely different than the intro in terms of instrumental and lyrical content. Surdam first speaks of a girl that he “thought of kissing” and ends the song talking about how he should have killed this girl when he had the chance. This one will be listed as another key track because of its contradictory style and, once again, the incredible rise and fall of emotion.

    What I’m loving most about the album is how their songs never finish the same way they start. The only similarity is the key, and even that’s arguable. “John Honre Burns!” is one of the most dynamic tracks on the album and has an incredibly misleading intro.  The only other time we hear the sultry riff of the intro is half way through the track when it repeats and that’s it. After the second verse, the feeling of rage grows exponentially until the end of the song when it comes crashing down.

    Lastly is “Burn it Down,” the most anxious and chaotic track on the album. It leaves a bit of a bitter taste in the listener’s mouth considering what the tone was at the start of the album. It’s fast, rambunctious, but oddly good. McGarrity said this was an emotional track and anger is the emotion that this album was missing. Well, listeners will sure get their fill of anger with this one. It just isn’t a track most groups would place at the end of an album. Looking past that, it’s well orchestrated and a fun listen. 

    Although the album is “brimming with emotion,” it is a little sporadic. This isn’t an album that people will listen to from beginning to end; it’s too all over the place. I encourage people to riffle through the album to find something they like because there really is something for everyone.

    Key Tracks: Siren Song, Good Kids, Burn it Down

  • Hearing Aide: Your Name Here ‘5 Weeks’

    This album by Your Name Here 5 Weeks is a true inspiration to aspiring artists and those currently running through the trials and tribulations of beginning adulthood. It’s a complicated time to be alive but it’s comforting to know that there’s a number of people in the same place in life. is a true inspiration to aspiring artists and those currently running through the trials and tribulations of beginning adulthood. It’s a complicated time to be alive but it’s comforting to know that there’s a number of people in the same place in life.

    This is a thoroughly impressive album from an orchestral and emotional stand point. It’s always moving forward, it’s unpredictable and it’s the result of years of blood, sweat and tears. Simply put, it’s like Ben Folds 5 in space. But that’s almost insulting to summarize it as such because of its complexity and deeper meaning that lies within the recordings.

    Before the analysis, listners need a bit of a history lesson about Garrett Eckl and the creation of his first album.

    Eckl, 21, is a student from Rochester NY  who studied computer science at Drexel University while juggling a job in NASA’s Goddard Flight Center. Eckl has always been a music lover and recently began to dabble in the art of music production. He began writing and recording a concept album out of his small, Washington D.C. apartment but his progress was limited by time and space (no pun intended).

    Some time passed and Eckl decided that his passion no longer lain in computer science and that completing this first EP was what he wanted most. He dropped out of Drexel, left NASA, moved back to Rochester and in one year’s time, finished the album. His seemingly rash decision yielded heckling from his friends but was countered by support from his family. His decision to move away is what helped inspire that album’s theme – appreciate what you have and don’t look back. From drum tracks to album art, Eckl did it all. He says it’s a concept album about a man who has five weeks left to live. Eckl asks people to give it a try and think to yourself, “think about what you would do if you only had five weeks to live. Would you be the same person or would you make drastic changes in your life?

    It’s obvious that Eckl is fiddling with a variety of styles here (that’s to be expected with an EP) but the album still holds a powerful story. “Fall Apart (Start Again)” and “Out Of Time”  are definitely his most impressive pieces of work. The lyrical content is a little somber, and that’s true throughout the album, but the first two songs counter those thought provoking lyrics with a a complex and upbeat tone. As said before, the sound is very reminiscent of Ben Folds in terms of his voice and some prominent piano sections. NYS Music brought this to Eckl’s attention and he said that although he is familiar with Folds, he was not an influence within Eckl’s music. Rather, the stylings of Breaking Benjamin, Green Day and Three Days Grace were the basis of his musical approach.

    Working down the track list, listeners will come to “Life on an Island” and will notice that Ben Folds style predominately on this  track. One of the most intriguing parts of the track is the beat, specifically as it starts off. It’s polyrhythmic, complex and immediately gets you moving. The song builds very well and is highlighted by one of the most moving guitar solos on the album.

    “Fade” pops up next and it’s where the album takes a sharp turn in terms of genre – It’s obvious there is much more of an electronic influence here. As mentioned before, Eckl recorded and produced the entire album so NYS Music asked him if there were any compositional influences he had. Eckl said that although it’s not something he follows closely, he believes subconsciously the score from the Netflix original series Stranger Things played a part in the composition of some of his songs – this is very apparent in this track. The song is docile most of the way through, but builds up to a drop that one may not expect to be followed by the previous tracks. Regardless, it’s very well made and it makes for a nice change of pace when listening to the album all the way through, which is how it should be enjoyed.

    Finally, the most melancholy recording plays through, “The Last Week.” It exclusively consists of a piano, strings/ violins and Eckl’s voice. It’s not a particularly thrilling song but is very  fitting considering the overall theme and the name of the track. It’s does have a build up which ends a little abruptly, but again, is fitting for the theme of  the album.

    All in all, this album may not tickle everyone’s fancy. This is undeniably a somber album, but it should be appreciated for it’s theme and production value. Listeners should be inspired by this album and spurred on to do the things they love. And although it may be crazy to drop a great education and job, pursuing your dreams and passions can result in creating something epic, just as Eckl has. The album is available on Spotify and Youtube, and you can follow Eckl and You’re Name Here on Facebook and Twitter.

    Key Tracks: Fall Apart ( Start Again), Out of Time, Life on an Island

    https://youtu.be/OGuDlHxaOZ8